Giving Dignity to the Dead
by jareya
Summary: Dr. Lanie Parish is interviewed by a magazine on the highs and lows of forensic pathology. What happens after the interview? Future fic in 'Twin Lights' universe.
1. The Interview

_Disclaimer: I don't own 'Castle', but I'm beyond thrilled that we'll be getting a new season in just two weeks! Yayy!_

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_**Giving Dignity to the Dead: Dr. Lanie Parish **_

**_by Otis Flynn_**

Dr. Lanie Parish, ME, has heard it all. From the cringeworthy "you see dead people?" jokes, to the dreadful "you're too alive to work with dead people" come-on lines. She's also seen it all, from the most unimaginable crime scenes, to causes of death she never studied at medical school. Working in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is a demanding job, especially in New York, the city that never sleeps. Medical examiners like Parish work around the clock to identify causes of death and conduct forensic analysis; carrying out autopsies, DNA testing, evidence examination, and more.

Parish says she never dreamed of working in the field of forensic pathology. "I don't think too many kids dream of cutting into dead bodies," she jokes. "That's more like a nightmare for most kids. I wanted to be a ballerina." Her job these days is as far from dancing on stage as one could possibly imagine, but it's no less challenging. "You definitely learn to think on your feet in this job," she says, "figuratively _and_ literally. Some days there is just no time to sit down, not even for a second."

If this wasn't her dream job, how did she get here? "When I enrolled in medical school, I had no intention of specializing in forensic pathology, but I quickly realized that it's a very interesting field. I have always been the kind of person who wants to know the stories behind things, the stories behind people; and so my job is perfect for me. It allows me to develop and use those investigative skills. I get to use science to tell important stories, and to do that with accuracy."

She credits her forensic medicine professor, Tara Atkins, for spotting her fledgling talents and helping her enhance them. "Professor Atkins took me under her wing and taught me important techniques that I still apply today." Now, as one of the OCME's most accomplished young MEs, Parish pays it forward by teaching her own skills to other young people. "It's not the easiest field to get into," she says, "you have to be tenacious, and you have to put in a lot of work – many, many hours of study and practice. You have to know and understand the dynamics and complexities of the human body like the back of your hand. You have to understand how so many different objects and substances can interact with the body in so many different ways. Plus, you've got to keep learning, stay current, because it's a field that's constantly growing and changing. So it helps to have a mentor to give you guidance and advice."

Parish works with various teams from the NYPD and other law enforcement agencies, helping to investigate deaths; accidental and otherwise. She says the challenges of working with law enforcement are manifold. "Visiting a crime scene is hard, especially when someone has suffered a violent death, or when a child is involved. You have to stay professional, stay sharp, maintain detachment, but it can be tough." And then there are the law enforcement agents themselves. "Sometimes it's a minefield. You have to work hard to ensure that no one compromises your work by interfering or trying to rush you towards a particular conclusion. However, I have to say that the vast majority of the people I work with are extremely professional and dedicated. I've even made some close friends."

Speaking of close friends, Parish is friends with NYPD Detective Kate Beckett and mystery author Richard Castle, and Dr. Lauren Parry, a fictionalized version of Parish, has even appeared on the pages of Castle's 'Nikki Heat' books. I wonder what Parish thinks of her fictional alter ego. "Oh, this is going to sound so egotistical," she laughs, "but I don't care – I _love_ Lauren. She is so smart, confident, sassy, and fun. And she's my one claim to fame." How much of Parish is in Parry? "I would love to think that I've got a bit of Parry in _me_ – seriously, if that's how Castle sees me, then that's a great compliment. I also love Lauren's relationship with Nikki Heat; it reminds me of my friendship with Kate."

I have to ask Parish, who describes herself as 'single and _always_ ready to mingle', about her social life – does her job scare away potential love interests? "Honestly, yes," she confirms. "Some people think there's something morbid about what I do. But the way I look at it, if they're scared off, then good riddance. I just keep it moving." She is far more concerned with the practical limits that her job places on her social life. "We can get called out to crime scenes or to the lab at all hours of day or night, so it's hard to find time to go out and unwind, especially when I'm on call. And to be frank, I can't go straight from work to the club like some people can. In my line of work, you _have_ to go home and take a really hot shower; or else you _will _smell like _eau de formaldehyde_," she laughs.

However, for all its challenges, Parish says there are many rewarding things about her profession. "It's an honor to tell the stories of those who can't do it for themselves anymore. It's humbling to give them the dignity that was denied to them. And it's very fulfilling when you can help get them justice and prevent a murderer from striking again. Then of course there's the simple satisfaction of putting all the clues together and arriving at the right answer. The teamwork and camaraderie with colleagues at the OCME and from other agencies is great too."

Parish has a few helpful tips for would-be forensic pathologists. "As an ME, you need to be extremely thorough – because the tiniest detail, the teeniest speck of a substance on a body, could make all the difference. You also need a strong stomach – because you _will_ see things that will shock you, but there's just no time to stand around and be shocked. You need determination, because sometimes you will feel like giving up, but you have to push through. And you _definitely_ need a sense of humor." That last one surprises me, but Parish is quick to explain. "It's a dark, harrowing job sometimes; and if you lose the ability to laugh, it's a sign that the job just might be consuming you. And that's never a good thing. For me, the lifelessness that surrounds me every day is _not_ a reminder of the hopelessness of life. It's a reminder to live my life to the fullest, to love and be loved, and to laugh, while I still can."

Parish certainly has all the qualities she recommends. Her manner is frank, poised and self-assured, but she obviously has a fun side. When the interview ended and our photographer took a few photos for this feature, she warned, "You'd better make me look good in those pictures – as you know, I have friends on the other side, and if I don't look cute, they _will_ come after you and haunt you to within an inch of your life." As the picture above shows, there's no chance that this delightful dynamo will ever have to make good on her playful threat.

_This piece is part of our special series on law enforcement careers. In our next issue, we chat with FDNY firefighter Douglas Keane._

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_**A/N:**__ This is the final article published by NY Careers magazine. The next chapter will go back to the day of the interview, and will tell the story of what happened right after the interview. This is a short story; just three brief chapters. Thanks for reading!_


	2. After the Interview: Otis

Lanie smiled for one last photo, then shook hands with Otis Flynn and the photographer.

"So, I guess we're done here," she said, watching the photographer pack up his arsenal of equipment.

"We are," Otis confirmed. "Thank you so much for your time." He rubbed his hands together. "It's freezing in here. How do you stand the cold?"

Lanie shrugged. "Comes with the territory. And if you're 'freezing' in that warm jacket, imagine how it feels in nothing but scrubs and a lab coat."

"No thanks, I don't think I want to imagine that," Otis laughed.

"So – Otis," Lanie said, crossing her arms, "there's gotta be a story behind that name. There aren't a whole lot of Otises around."

"True – the great thing about my name is that no one ever forgets it," he laughed. "My mom was a huge Otis Redding fan, and I was born on the tenth anniversary of his death, so she named me Otis in his honor."

"Wow – I love Otis Redding. He was just –," she closed her eyes, "insanely talented."

Otis nodded. "Absolutely. You know, when I was a kid, I _hated_ my name. I got teased so much at school – the kids called me Notice, Lotus, Clovis, Odious– anything but my actual name. And then there was the worst one of all – and their favorite, because I'm half-Irish – O'tits."

Lanie grimaced while struggling to suppress her laughter. "Oh no – kids can be so mean."

"No kidding. I remember running home when I was seven and demanding that my mom let me go by my middle name, James. She smiled, and that was the first time she told me all about Otis Redding, played me some of her old vinyl records – and I was just blown away. The teasing never stopped, but my attitude towards it did. I never complained about my name again."

"That's a sweet story," Lanie smiled. "Your mom sounds like a great lady."

"Oh, she is," Otis confirmed with a broad smile, the corners of his deep brown eyes crinkling attractively. "She was a single mom working at least two jobs at any point in time, but she raised me and my sister with such a sense of history and culture. And a lot of love. She's amazing. Are you close to your mom?"

"Well… let's just say that it's a complicated relationship," Lanie replied after a moment of silence.

She changed the subject quickly. "So now that you know all about how I got into this job, why don't you tell me how you ended up working for the city's official careers magazine?"

"It's a long story," Otis replied. "But I'm actually not employed by the city. I'm a freelancer – I've worked for many different publications – _GQ_, _Rolling Stone_, _Esquire_."

"Impressive," Lanie observed, "but if you're writing on that level, I'm kinda surprised you're doing little interviews for _NY Careers_. I mean, no offense, but I'm sure they can't give you the sort of paycheck you're used to. Their readership has got to be tiny."

"It is, but I think it's important for them to have interesting articles, not the usual boring, trite stuff you find in government publications. Something that might inspire someone to look at their career path differently, with fresh eyes. So I do this for free, as part of my service to the city, my way of giving back."

"That's great," Lanie said, clearly impressed. She looked at her watch. "Well, I should go. I still can't believe you boys hauled me in here on my first free Saturday in a month. I should be huddled under my covers right now."

"What can I say?" Otis shrugged apologetically. "I had strict instructions not to bother you while you were working."

"I'm just messing with you," Lanie laughed. "Seriously, I'm more than happy to do this. Anything for the city."

"And I'm so glad you agreed to come. It was such a pleasure to talk to you. You know, I watch a lot of procedurals on TV, so I'll confess that I wasn't exactly looking forward to this interview. Medical examiners on TV tend to be really… eccentric."

Lanie chuckled. "Yep – but that's not what gets me. Eccentric is fine – I mean, we _all_ have a little freakiness on the inside; but they make the job look so darned _easy_. I wish it was. But you know what, I can't complain. Those TV shows have got a lot of young people interested in this field."

"Well, I'm just glad that _you_ got interested in this field – like I said, I wasn't expecting to meet someone so beautiful, articulate and charming today."

Lanie cocked her head to the side. "Why, thank you – and you clearly are quite the charmer yourself."

"I mean it though," Otis said, "you're so personable and fun to be with."

Lanie hid a smile as she turned to pick up her purse. "Just be grateful you didn't get Perlmutter," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Otis queried as she turned back to him.

"Oh, nothing," Lanie replied innocently. "I was just saying that your friend Larry," she gestured towards the photographer, who had finished packing up with his equipment and was perched on a stool on the other side of the room, idly fiddling with his tablet, "has been ready to go for a while now. He's probably on his tenth game of 'Angry Birds' now. We should get a move on."

Otis ran a hand over his short brown hair. "Listen, I really am sorry for dragging you out here so early on a Saturday, and I would love to make it up to you. Maybe we can go grab a coffee? Or brunch? I know this great place –"

"I'm sorry," Lanie cut in, "but I already have plans."

"I should have guessed – it _is_ the weekend. There's no way a gorgeous woman like you doesn't have plans."

Lanie gave him a speculative look. "You know, Otis, for a writer, you have got a pretty sweet tongue." She shook her head in amusement when she saw a look of mischief cross his face. "And I mean that _figuratively_, of course."

"Of course," Otis confirmed with a laugh. "You have no way of knowing if that's literally true – yet. But if you give me a chance…."

"Ooh, you don't mess around, do you?" Lanie laughed.

"No, I don't," Otis said, growing serious. "Lanie, I'm at the point in my life where I'm done playing games. I've done enough of that to last a lifetime. I know we've only just met, but I really like you. So, unless there's another guy in the picture, I would love the opportunity to get to know you. And I think that if you got to know _me_, who knows? You just might start to like me a little too."

Lanie was quiet for a long moment, and Otis sighed. "So – I'm guessing the silence means there's someone else. Well, whoever he is, he's a lucky guy. Tell him that from me."

"Tell _them_ that from you," Lanie corrected.

"Excuse me?" Otis was clearly bewildered.

"You said to tell my guy he's lucky; I'm saying I'll tell my _guys _that they're _both_ lucky. In fact, I'll tell them today. We have a date."

"You're uh, you're seeing _two_ guys?"

Lanie raised two fingers in affirmation. "Two fantastic young men – handsome, smart and funny."

When Otis was silent, staring at her in surprise, she continued. "Hey, last time I checked, there wasn't a law against seeing two men at the same time. It's not like I'm married to them."

"I didn't say anything," Otis protested quickly, putting his hands up. "Whatever works for you – I would never judge… it's just that from your silence, I assumed you were seeing someone seriously. I guess I was wrong."

"Oh, it's _very _serious with these two guys," Lanie denied gravely. "_Extremely_ serious. Serious as a heart attack."

"Long-term?"

Lanie's response was calm, matter-of-fact. "Absolutely. I'm in love, and it's a lifelong commitment – I love them both, and I always will."

"Well uh, I guess, uh, there's nothing more to say." He stuck out his hand and shook hers warmly. "It really was great to meet you, Lanie. You are –, well, you're quite the woman, and I definitely won't forget this meeting."

Lanie smiled mischievously. "Oh, you never know. I just might see you around sometime."

"I'll look forward to that."

Otis and Larry were almost out the door when Lanie called out to Otis, laughter in her voice. "Hey Otis, there's something you should know. About those two guys –"

"Uh huh," Otis prompted, clearly steeling himself for another bombshell from the petite woman.

"They're eight months old."

"What?"

"My twin godsons. We have a play-date today."

Otis stood staring at her, rendered speechless. When he found his voice, he could only stammer out, "S-so you… so…."

"What?" Lanie laughed. "I never said I was seeing them romantically."

Otis smiled, shaking his head. "Lanie – you are something else."

She fished one of her cards out of her purse. "There's a little lounge I like to go to in Harlem –a singer called Joe Trent will be performing on Friday next week. I've been to a couple of his shows, and he's no Otis Redding, but he does a pretty decent version of 'Try A Little Tenderness'. You free that night?"

Otis nodded energetically. "Absolutely."

"Call me."

"I certainly will."

* * *

_A/N: Just one more chapter to go... I would love to know what you think about this one, and Otis... think he could give Esposito a run for his money, or is 'Esplanie' written in the stars?_


	3. After the Interview: Kate

_**Three hours later**_

"Lanie, you are out of your mind," Kate panted out, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes as Lanie told her about her encounter with Otis.

"Girl, you should have seen the look on his face when I told him I was in love with two men," Lanie recalled. "Priceless." She picked up Noel and Nathan, one in each arm, and gave them each a big kiss on the cheek, making them giggle, their adorable baby teeth showing. "You two are so lucky to have your Aunt Lanie," she said to them. "Some guy I met today said to tell you so." Noel babbled happily at Lanie before sliding out of her grasp.

Lanie put Nathan down gently as well and admired both boys sitting on the blanket, looking adorable in their cute t-shirts and jeans. "Look at those two;" she said to Kate, "I can't believe how fast they've grown. Someday soon they'll be taller than I am."

"Not _too_ soon, hopefully," Kate said fondly. "It's so amazing to watch them grow, but sometimes I just want to freeze time, tell it not to rush by so damn fast."

Kate and Lanie were stretched out on a huge picnic blanket in Central Park, drinking in the warm, sunny weather, the cotton-candy clouds and blue skies overhead. Kate was wearing blue jeans and a snug red t-shirt, and Lanie had on a long blue sundress with spaghetti straps. Both women were relaxed and at peace. It was a gorgeous day, and Nathan and Noel were enjoying it too. Nathan was playing quietly with his current fascination, a red toy car given to him by his Uncle Kevin; while Noel was crawling across the blanket with reckless speed, in search of anything interesting.

Kate caught Noel just as he reached the edge of the blanket and stuck his hand quickly into the grass, coming up with a fistful of dirt. "Noel always goes straight for the dirt," Kate noted, trying to pry open his fist before he had a chance to shove it, dirt and all, into his waiting mouth. "My dad loves it," she continued. "He's convinced that it's a sign that Noel is going to be a great baseball player – apparently he's going to smash more records than Babe Ruth."

Lanie chuckled as she re-adjusted Nathan's tiny baseball hat. Still engrossed in his game with the car, he didn't even notice. "So what does he think _this_ little guy is going to be?"

"Oh, Dad thinks Nate is going to cure cancer, or end the obesity epidemic, or something," Kate replied with amusement, finally managing to get the dirt out of Noel's hand. She handed him his favorite soft toy in an attempt to distract him. "He thinks the twins have all kinds of superpowers."

"It's amazing how Noel's eyes have changed," Lanie commented, looking over into Noel's face. "They're _exactly_ the same color as yours now."

"I know – and Nate's are still exactly like his Dad's. Their features are distinct now – and they don't look much alike."

"I agree," Lanie said, "it's like they each took the best parts of you and Castle and came up with these two, separate, gorgeous mixes."

"I can't argue with that," Kate said. Like just about every mom in the world, she was convinced that her children were beyond adorable.

"So," Kate continued, "tell me more about this Otis guy. He sounds sweet."

"He is," Lanie acknowledged. "Attractive too. Nice hair, nice eyes. Nice body – you can tell that he works out. Good sense of humor, smart. And he was direct – didn't pull out any crappy lines or try to play any silly games."

"I know you always appreciate that," Kate observed. Manifestly no-nonsense, Lanie had never been the type to suffer fools gladly, and she didn't have much time for people who didn't share the same straightforward approach.

Lanie nodded. "I also liked that he took the whole 'I'm dating two men' joke in his stride – he was respectful when he thought I was telling the truth, and he didn't sulk when he found out I was messing with him. And he loves his mom – I'm told that's a good thing."

"I think it is," Kate agreed. "So – you met a really nice guy. But something tells me you're not all that excited."

Lanie sighed. "Remember the last time I got involved with a guy from the media?"

Kate remembered only too well. At the launch party for Rick's most recent book, _Hamptons Heat_, just before the twins were born, Lanie had met Calvin Rayford, a magazine editor. Lanie had gone out on several dates with him, only to discover that he was married to an international aid worker, a fact that he had deliberately kept hidden from her. She had only found out when, while using the bathroom at his apartment, she'd opened a cabinet in search of an aspirin, only to find his wedding ring stashed behind the bottle of pills.

Kate felt anger rise within her as she recalled the incident. "I still say you should have let me take a run at that sleazebag, Lanie."

"Girl, please," Lanie said, rolling her eyes, "he's so not worth it. I'm totally over the jerk – I didn't even like him that much. Besides, after I got done with him – well, let's just say I suspect that's the last time he'll ever pull that crap with another unsuspecting woman."

"I'm almost afraid to ask what you did."

"Then don't, because I'm done talking about him. I only brought him up to make a point – which is that Otis might _seem_ like a great guy, but he could just as well be another lying, cheating piece of crap."

"Or not –," Kate rejoined, quirking a brow. "There are still _some_ good guys in the world, Lanie."

Lanie's laughter was laden with irony. "Remember how I was once the one trying to persuade you to take a chance on Castle? Oh, how the tables have turned. How is he, by the way?"

"Castle?" Kate smiled. "He's great. Writing up a storm these days. Says the twins keep him inspired. I miss him at the precinct – I mean, I knew it would be tough not having him there, but it's even harder than I thought."

Lanie shook her head in sympathy. "Hell, even_ I_ miss him when I stop by at the precinct, so I can only imagine what it's like for you. He totally became a part of the place."

"Yeah," Kate sighed, "he visits now and again to surprise me. Honestly, it's kinda ridiculous how excited I get when I see him there."

"Aww… now that's love. Remind me again why you two waited so long to get together?" Lanie joked.

"I have no idea," Kate said with a laugh. "Anyway, he said to say 'hi'."

"Well, tell him I said 'hi' back."

* * *

The two were silent for a moment as they played with the boys. Then Kate spoke up, her tone tentative. "Lanie, what if I said I know why you're not as excited about Otis as you'd like to be – why you haven't been really excited about a guy in a while."

Lanie sighed, looking up at the cornflower-blue summer sky, and trying not to think about Javier Esposito. She failed. "I don't know if I want to go there today, Kate. I mean, it's such a nice day and everything."

"You know I normally wouldn't stick my nose in," Kate replied, catching her friend's eye. "Both of you are like family to me, and I don't want to get in the middle, but I do want you to be happy. Here's the thing: you two have given it a shot –"

"A few shots," Lanie interjected, reaching for Noel, then handing his brother over to Kate.

"Yeah – and you've both decided to move on, but speaking as your friend, I don't think you _have_ moved on, and neither has Javi. So maybe, just maybe, it's time to give it one more try. You never know – it just might end up being worth it."

Lanie was uncharacteristically silent for a long moment, occupying herself with bouncing Noel around in her lap. When she finally responded, her voice was low, thoughtful. "You know what, Kate? The older I get, the more I understand some of my own choices. I always talk about how pigheaded Javi is, how he wanted to turn every step in our relationship into a hurdle, but the truth is, I was just as bad – just as pigheaded. Maybe even more pigheaded. Whenever it was time for the next move, I dug my heels in like crazy."

She fell silent for another moment before going on. "Otis asked about my mom today – he has this amazing relationship with his mom, like you had with yours… and he wanted to know if I'm close to mine."

Lanie huffed out a laugh, shaking her head. "One of my biggest fears has always been turning into my mother," she continued. "I mean, I would _hate_ to ever be that judgmental, inflexible and closed-minded. And I'm only just starting to realize how much that fear has affected me and my relationships. First I dated the wrong kind of guys to spite her, and then I dated good guys, but wouldn't commit to them because I didn't want to give them power over me. My mom gave so much over to my dad, and the loss of her own identity made her resentful – and then she took that resentment out on me. And I just never wanted the same thing to happen to me."

"Lanie, trust me, there is _no_ way that could _ever _happen," Kate said emphatically, shocked by Lanie's confession. Of all the fears she could have ever pictured her feisty, self-assured friend having; this was definitely not one of them. "You're the _last_ woman on earth that would lose herself over some man."

Lanie laughed again, a little bitterly this time, as she handed Noel a rusk. "I know that – at least I think I do. But don't you see, Kate? My mom would probably have said the same thing about herself once upon a time. I remember growing up and looking at her old photo albums from her high school days, and I always wondered whatever happened to that happy, carefree girl that she obviously once was. How did she end up so rigid, so judgmental, so _hard_ on everyone, including herself? And for the longest time, I thought it was _my_ fault; that having me had somehow changed her."

Kate reached out to touch Lanie's arm gently. "You know that's not true, right?"

Lanie nodded. "I know that now. Anyway, the thing is, by holding back in relationships, being so fearful that someone would misuse my trust or try to manipulate me; I think somewhere along the line I stopped believing, stopped trusting altogether. I started thinking that I was the _only _person that could ever look out for me. I never gave anyone a chance to be worthy of my trust. I started to almost expect the worst. Remember when 3XK set Castle up for that murder?"

"Like I could ever forget." It was a dark time in Kate's life, an even darker episode in Rick's; and she still got a knot in her stomach when she recalled how close Jerry Tyson had come to destroying Rick's life. She shivered involuntarily – if Tyson had succeeded, she and Rick certainly wouldn't have what they had now – the life they shared, the beautiful babies they had created together, the future they looked forward to with such hope and optimism.

"Deep down, I knew that the Richard Castle I had known and worked with for years wasn't capable of doing those sick, twisted things," Lanie continued. "But a part of me couldn't help but think 'people just can't be trusted', couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't who he'd made us all believe he was. It all seemed to prove that I was right – that the only person in the world you can trust is _yourself_. And when he was vindicated, I was just so grateful that you never let my doubts get in the way of your faith."

"Lanie, I think you're being just a little hard on yourself. I don't blame you for doubting," Kate said reassuringly, "and neither would Castle, if he knew. In our line of work, we are trained to trust the evidence, and it was stacked against him so convincingly, so overwhelmingly, that anyone would have struggled. I believed him, but Lanie, I was in love with him. Maybe if I wasn't –"

"That's not true," Lanie shot back, "you've always believed in Castle, even when you wouldn't admit that your feelings for him went way beyond friendship, or partnership, or whatever you called it back then. But my point is, Kate – I don't trust. I've spent most of my adult life stubbornly clutching my independence so that I don't end up like my mom. And the crazy part is, because of that, I just might be turning into her after all."

Kate shook her head vigorously, touching the other woman's arm again as she spoke. "Lanie Parish, listen to me. You are not like your mom. You are warm, generous, compassionate, loving, honest and so wise – and you are an amazing friend. You have always been an amazing friend. You go to the wall for the people you care about. I don't say this enough – I don't even know if I've ever said it, but I'm incredibly lucky to have you in my life."

Kate drew a deep breath before continuing. "We all have our hang-ups, Lanie. We're all screwed up to some degree. I can't imagine what it's like to have a difficult relationship with your mom, but it's only natural that it would affect you in some way. But having the kind of life you want, the kind of relationship you want, starts with accepting your issues, facing up to them – and now that you've done that, the only way to go is forward. "

"Ooh, listen to you, Kate Beckett. How'd you get so clever?" Lanie asked with a small smile.

"Oh, just a little thing called therapy," Kate replied dryly, and the friends laughed.

"So, what's your next move?" Kate prompted, snagging an apple from the picnic basket.

Lanie sighed, deep in thought. Finally, she shrugged. "I'll think about what you said. Because you're right – I haven't moved on from Javi. I still think about him way more than I probably should, and it's time to finally decide if it's time to let those feelings go, or if it's worth another shot – if he's interested, that is."

"I think there's a pretty good chance that he would be – you're the only person I've ever met that's actually capable of turning Mr. Tough Guy, Javier Esposito, into a pile of mush. And Otis?"

"I like Otis," Lanie said with a smile, "but we've only just met. I have no idea if there's anything there, but I guess I'll find out. If there's no real connection, then fine. If there is, then I really will have to make a decision one way or the other. You know, when he asked if there was another guy in the picture, I immediately pictured Javi. I think the whole joke with the twins was just a way to cover up how much that instant mental picture surprised me, after all this time. I mean, I've tried so hard to move on."

"I've been there," Kate acknowledged quietly, "trying to move on with another guy when I was still hung up on Castle. It didn't work, but then I don't have to tell you that – you were there. They were safer options, but that didn't make them right for me." She paused. "Rick once told me I was 'hiding in nowhere relationships with men I didn't love', and he was right."

"Yeah, but to be fair, you really did want to make those relationships work – it's not like you were just playing around with Demming or with Josh. You just needed to figure it all out in your own time."

"You'll figure it out too, Lanie," Kate encouraged. "Whatever you decide will be just right for you, as long as you're happy. And if you ever need to talk –"

"I know," Lanie replied warmly. Then seemingly out of nowhere, her lips curved into a smirk. "But that Josh… mmm, let's just say that if you hadn't been dating him, and I hadn't been dating Javi….."

"Lanie!"

"Hey, I'm just sayin'," Lanie held up her hands. "He was hot."

Both women laughed. Silence fell again, more comfortable this time. Then Kate rose to her feet and slipped her sunglasses over her eyes. "Come on, let's see if we can get these little guys into their pushchair; take a walk."

* * *

Ten minutes later, they were strolling down the pathway, pushing the boys along in their twin pushchair. Unknown to them, they were also drawing admiring looks from passersby who found the tall, slender, green-eyed brunette and her petite, curvy, brown-eyed companion a strikingly attractive pair.

One of those admirers, a tall blond man, also pushing a small child, walked up to them, smiling.

"Hi," he said, "I couldn't help but notice you two lovely ladies and these cute little fellas. Twins?"

Kate smiled back and nodded in confirmation. The man introduced himself as Frank Arundel, and his son, a beautiful fair-haired, year-old cherub, as Sandy.

"Sandy and I are all alone in the world," Frank said to Kate, his expression both sorrowful and reflective. "His mother, Donna – well, she just couldn't handle the pressures of looking after a baby, so she ran off only two months after he was born. She left a note saying she wasn't cut out for motherhood. 'I thought I could do this, but it's not for me. You're a better parent than I ever could be' – that's what she said. It broke my heart at the time, but my little angel Sandy makes it all better. He fills my every waking moment – and the sleeping ones too – with a joy that's so pure, it's almost spiritual." He wiped a small tear from a corner of one eye.

At this, Lanie nudged Kate and gave her an incredulous eye-roll. Frank, who had his eyes glued to Kate, didn't even notice. Kate desperately wanted to laugh at the expression on her friend's face, but she managed to control herself enough to say to Frank, "Well, I'm glad to hear that you and Sandy are okay."

"It was really nice to meet you both," Kate continued, as she and Lanie made to continue their walk.

Frank followed them swiftly. "I, uh, I normally don't do this – in fact this is the first time I've ever approached a woman since Donna left, but I know it's time to move on, so I'm really trying to…. I guess what I want to ask if I could have your number. Maybe we could go out sometime – just to talk, bond over the parenting experience – its joys, its tears, all those special things that bind us all together."

Lanie, who had been trying hard to hold in her laughter while Frank was speaking, let out a loud giggle before managing to smother it. Kate nudged her, giving her a glare – she was trying to control herself too, but before she knew it, she gave a snort of laughter that she quickly tried to turn into a cough.

Frank was puzzled, looking from one lady to the other in confusion. Then the light of understanding seemed to dawn in his eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't realize that you two were –" He gestured between them.

When Lanie realized the conclusion he had reached, she slipped a playful arm around Kate's waist. "That's okay," she said to Frank. "It still takes some people a second to figure it out." She smiled at Kate. "Doesn't it, honey?"

Kate's shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter as she spoke to Frank. "Thanks, Frank, and it's great that you're trying to move on, but I'm married," she said. She lifted her left hand from its position on the pushchair handle and held it up briefly so he could see her rings.

"To me," Lanie added sweetly.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Don't mind my friend – she's just kidding around," she said to Frank. She waved a hand toward her boys. "I'm married to their father."

Frank looked slightly annoyed at being the butt of Lanie's jokes, but strove to maintain his composure. "Well, that's very nice. He's a lucky man. Enjoy the rest of your day, ladies."

As he walked away, Kate shook her head mutely at Lanie. Once he was out of earshot, both women collapsed into a fit of giggles.

"Did you see his face?" Lanie asked.

"Yeah, he looked like a sad, deflated balloon," Kate said, pulling a pitying face.

"Girl, please. Don't tell me you're feeling sorry for him. That dude is as fake as they come – his lines were so corny I had no choice but to give him side-eye. I mean, the guy had barely said 'hello' before giving us the whole 'Donna' sob story, complete with the exact words of her goodbye note. I mean, who does that?"

Lanie cringed as she went on. "There was even something a little creepy about him; like that guy – Randy something – the one who used his cute kids to meet women. Then he married them and killed them for the insurance money."

Kate shook her head. "You've been in this line of work too long, Lanie. He's not the next Randy Roth. He's just a lonely single dad trying to get his game back; trying to get a little attention from the ladies. Trust me; I'm married to a guy who used to do the very same thing when Alexis was little – with much success, I might add."

"That lame-ass routine worked for Castle?" Lanie asked dubiously.

Kate laughed. "Apparently. He was probably way better at it, though – a lot less obvious, less whiny, more fun. I mean, he _is_ a writer – he knows that when it comes to women, humor usually works better than sob stories."

She shot Lanie a sidelong look. "And you, Lanie Parish, are just something else. Those faces you were making – I mean, I almost laughed right in his face. And you do realize that since you got up this morning," she started counting off each item on her fingers, "you've given an interview, gone on a picnic, _and_ told complete strangers that (_a_) you're dating my kids, and (_b_) you're married to me. _So_ much mischief – and it's still only 3pm."

Lanie shrugged innocently, her smile managing to be both angelic and sly. "It's all in a day's work for me, Kate – all in a day's work."

And Kate thought fondly to herself that Lanie was right. For her friend, the beautiful, forthright ME who worked so diligently to restore dignity to the dead; laughter, lighthearted fun and a healthy love of life really were all in a day's work.

* * *

_**A/N**: And here ends this little story. I would really love to know your thoughts on this chapter and on the story as a whole. I have some ideas in the works for this interview series, so there will be more to come. And aren't you glad the hiatus is almost over? I'm sooo stoked for the new season of 'Castle' – I can't wait! _


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